INEOS Exposed: The transfer disasters dragging Man United backwards

The revival of Manchester United has taken yet another blow following the sacking of manager Ruben Amorim.

While results were undeniably inconsistent, Amorim still managed to guide United to sixth place after they finished a humiliating 15th last season.

That context has been conveniently ignored.

Pundits have been quick to point fingers at Amorim, yet there has been a deafening silence when it comes to holding the board accountable.

INEOS assumed control of United’s football operations in February 2024 after acquiring a 27.7% stake, promising a more coherent era.

As their two-year anniversary approaches, the cracks in that vision are becoming impossible to ignore.

Below are the most damaging recruitment decisions made under INEOS so far.

Selling McTominay for Joshua Zirkzee

Scott McTominay was never the most technically gifted midfielder at Old Trafford, but he embodied what it meant to play for Manchester United.

He understood the badge, brought intensity, and delivered in decisive moments when the team needed him most.

United sanctioned his sale to Napoli and replaced him with Joshua Zirkzee, a move that now looks alarmingly misguided.

The Dutchman has struggled to carve out an identity in England, drifting between roles without ever owning one.

He is neither a true number nine nor a natural number ten.

Choosing Zirkzee over McTominay has been a clear and costly downgrade.

Not giving a chance to Alvaro Carreras

Under Erik ten Hag and the new football structure, Alvaro Carreras was ushered out without being granted a fair audition.

This came at a time when United were desperately short of natural left-backs, often forced to deploy makeshift solutions.

Carreras possessed the technical ability and tactical intelligence required at Premier League level, yet was discarded before being properly assessed.

Fast forward to today, and the Spaniard is flourishing at Real Madrid after completing a summer move.

Not signing a midfielder in 2025

Perhaps the most indefensible failure of INEOS’ tenure has been their refusal to reinforce midfield in 2025.

United entered the season with an ageing and imbalanced engine room.

Casemiro is holding the fortress well, but expecting him to provide the same intensity at the age of 33 is stupid.

He needs rotation and succession planning, but neither has arrived.

United explored the idea of signing Carlos Baleba but never showed genuine intent by submitting a formal bid.

That inaction proved fatal, leaving Amorim without the tools required to compete and ultimately costing him his job after just 14 months.

Swapping Benjamin Sesko for Rasmus Hojlund

Benjamin Sesko is a superb talent with a very high ceiling and provides more quality than Rasmus Hojlund.

He uses his towering frame effectively to hold up play, link attacks and bring others into the game.

Hojlund arrived with promise but his development stalled for various reasons.

A prolonged goal drought crushed his confidence, while a lack of coherent service starved him of the chances required to grow.

United invested around £73 million in Sesko when that money was crying out to be spent on midfield reinforcement.

Having already signed Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha earlier in the summer, revamping the attack again reflected poor prioritisation.

The club hierarchy showed a worrying lack of vision, opting for headline signings over structural balance.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .